


Tending The Flame

by lafillechanceuse



Series: Nes Gadol Haya Sham 2016 [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: City Elf Culture and Customs, Dalish Elven Culture and Customs, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Ktavnukkah 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 07:16:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9062020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lafillechanceuse/pseuds/lafillechanceuse
Summary: Dalish and Skinner clash when they try to celebrate a shared holiday. Written for the prompt 'fire/warmth' for the 2016 Ktavnukkah writing challenge.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is set a year after the first little ficlet in the series regarding Skinner.

“Move over.”

Dalish demanded loudly, plopping herself down beside the barely starting fire. Skinner glanced up from poking at it with a stick.

“You’re not doing it right. It’s bad wood.”

She took a branch of kindling and attempted to snap it. The branch bent, curling in her grasp.

“Still green. I told you not to get it yourself.”

“This is good.”

Skinner replied defensively, shoving a handful in her face. Dalish squawked, narrowly dodging a twig that threatened to poke out her eye.

“You said this was good!”

She continued.

“It’s your fault. The longest night is almost upon us, you said—“

“And if we don’t light a fire in time—“

“You think we don’t observe it? That I don’t know?”

Fists clenched, Skinner tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. Dalish stared back at her. Ages had passed since their initial argument, the two of them past an uneasy détente and approaching what could be generously called something on the edge of an intense friendship and……..well. Not like that mattered now. Her first year without her people and her first year without a celebration. She threw the bundle of kindling on the ground in front of Dalish and spat.

“Fine. You tend the flame. You know better.”

Taken aback, Dalish opened her mouth, but Skinner stomped off before she could hear a word of it. At the edge of camp, she sat fuming, staring out into the darkness. If tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, it was the cold wind whistling around the corners of the tents while she kept watch. Her ears pricked at the sound of the chief’s voice coming from the center of camp. If she strained to hear, she could vaguely make something out about eyes and sad halla and knowing. Stitches came over and offered her a mug of hot cocoa, then left. She appreciated his silence.

After about an hour, she heard Dalish approach. Bristling, Skinner readied herself to fight.

“My Keeper died on the longest night.”

She said without preamble. To that, Skinner had no reply.  

“It was her time to go. I know it wasn’t that I didn’t light the fire fast enough, but…”

She trailed off.  

“Ir abelas, lethallan. I should have never used our heritage to hurt you.”

The firelight illuminated her blonde hair, her expression of genuine regret.  

Standing up, Skinner held out her hand.

“Come. Let’s start the vigil.”


End file.
